1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preparing an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, electrophotographic photosensitive members using organic photoconductive substances, that is, organic electrophotographic photosensitive members have exhaustively been studied and developed from various view points.
Basically, electrophotographic photosensitive members include a supporting member and a photosensitive layer formed on the supporting member. A photosensitive layer included in an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member uses a charge generation material and a charge transport material as photoconductive materials, and a binder resin as a resin to bind these materials. The layer structure of a photosensitive layer involves a laminated structure in which the respective functions are separated into a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer, and a monolayer structure in which these materials are included in a monolayer. Electrophotographic photosensitive members often have a laminated structure which has a charge transport layer as a surface layer, but a surface protective layer is further provided on a charge transport layer in some cases.
Since the surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member is a layer contacting with various members and recording media, the surface layer is required to have many functions such as mechanical strength and chemical stability, and various proposals have been made. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. H07-97218 discloses a method in which grooves are formed on the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member by abrading the surface with a film-shaped abrasive. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-150850 discloses a method in which depressed portions are fabricated on the surface by sand blasting. Japanese Patent Publication No. H07-97218 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-150850 are preparing methods necessitating an independent step for processing the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S53-92133 discloses a case in which depressed portions are fabricated on the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member in the formation process of the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-10303 discloses a preparing method in which no liquid droplet traces are formed on the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member. The description of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-10303 pointed out that dews condensate on the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member due to vaporization heat of a solvent during coating a photosensitive layer and condensation traces generated then are left as pores on the surface, causing factors of dark dots on images and toner filming. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-175008 also discloses, like Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-10303, a preparing method of an electrophotographic photosensitive member which prevents whitening due to condensation.